Australia To Partner With Clinton Foundation, Contribute $18.5M To Combat HIV/AIDS in China, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea

Australia plans to contribute $18.5 million over four years to help fight HIV/AIDS in China, Vietnam and Papua Guinea in collaboration with the Clinton Foundation, Reuters reports. Under the agreement, the foundation will supplement Australia's contribution with an undisclosed amount of money (Tait, Reuters, 2/22). The money will be used to increase the countries' supplies of antiretroviral drugs and support their national health systems (Tasker/Jean, Australian Associated Press, 2/22). Clinton on Sunday during a visit to Sydney signed a memorandum of understanding with the Australian government aid program AusAID. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer in signing the agreement noted that the United Nations estimates more than eight million people in the Asia-Pacific region are HIV-positive and that figure could increase to 20 million by 2010 without an accelerated response to the epidemic (Associated Press, 2/21). It is projected that about 40% of new HIV cases globally might occur in the Asia-Pacific region by 2010 (Reuters, 2/22). In related news, an Asia Pacific Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS on Sunday also was launched in Sydney. The coalition will be headed by Qantas Airways Chair Margaret Jackson and will aim to encourage businesses to support HIV/AIDS-prevention efforts (AFP/Yahoo! News, 2/22).